East Cobb Crime & Fire

Tritt ES staff member hospitalized after HVAC fire at school

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Tritt Elementary School in East Cobb was evacuated early Wednesday after a fire broke out in an HVAC unit, according to the Cobb County School District.Tritt ES fire

The district said that students weren’t in the school building (4355 Post Oak Tritt Road) and everyone is safe after Cobb Fire units responded.

Cobb Fire said the fire is considered minor but an adult inside the building was hospitalized for smoke inhalation and no firefighters were injured.

Chris Smith, the Cobb Fire public information officer, said a call reporting smoke at the school was received shortly after 7 a.m. and units arrived at 7:12 a.m. to find smoke coming from a wall HVAC unit at the front of the school building and in a hallway.

He said the fire was contained by 7:16 a.m. and crews then used pressurized ventilation fans to remove smoke from hallways.

Fire units left the scene by 8:15 a.m., Smith said.

“We are currently assessing the building and any necessary changes to the schedule,” the Cobb school district said in a statement.

School buses were diverted to Hightower Trail Middle School, where Tritt classes are being conducted Wednesday, according to a district spokeswoman.

She said classes are expected to resume at Tritt on Thursday.

The person taken to a hospital was identified as a staff member, not a teacher or a student, “and is recovering well without significant injuries,” the spokeswoman said.

Joe Ovbey, who has two children who attend Tritt, told East Cobb News he tried to drop them off at 7:15 a.m. but was turned away.

He said he brought his children home as buses were taking students to Hightower Trail.

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Cobb Police give some details on officer-involved shooting

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The Cobb Police Chief on Monday took the unusual step to speak publicly about an officer-involved shooting that resulted in the death of a suspect at a Cobb Parkway pharmacy over the weekend.

Cobb Police give some details on officer-involved shooting
Cobb Police Chief Stuart VanHoozer

Stuart VanHoozer urged the media at a press conference to “look for corroborating evidence” before reporting on details of an incident that led to officers killing Nathan Jenkins, 32, late Friday evening, at a Walgreen’s store in the Cumberland area.

He referenced media reports that included “speculation” that the suspect was shot 25 times, had his hands up when officers fired and was possessing a cell phone and not a gun.

“I did not see any evidence” of those allegations, VanHoozer said at the press conference at Cobb Police Headquarters on Fairground Street in Marietta, adding that they were part of the ongoing investigation.

He asked reporters “to patiently wait for solid evidence” and not “conjecture” as the investigation into the shooting continues.

VanHoozer said the officers involved in the shooting have been place on administrative leave in the meantime.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is handling the investigation, and typically local police departments do not comment until those probes are completed.

“There are some questions that have popped up in the media that have caused us some concern,” VanHoozer said.

Some of those reports included interviews with the suspect’s father, who said his son called him after the shooting and he went to the scene, as well as Jenkins’ brother, who called it “an unjustified shooting.”

Jenkins’ father told WSB-TV that his son had experienced addiction and psychological issues in his past.

Jenkins, of Valdosta, was wanted on a number of warrants, and VanHoozer said they included failure to appear on a charge of a felony possession of a firearm and possession of a controlled substance and fleeing and attempting to elude police in Fulton County, and probation violations in Fulton and Lowndes County.

He said officers went to the Walgreen’s at 2670 Cobb Parkway at Windy Ridge Parkway at around 11:30 p.m. based on the outstanding warrants.

Police said initially that they got into an altercation with Jenkins inside the store, and he was shot by officers when they made contact. According to police, Jenkins was pronounced dead after being taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital.

VanHoozer said an unspecified previous traffic stop in which a suspect got away—he said police didn’t pursue him due to the department’s chase policy—may be linked, that “possibly that pursuit and this individual.

“That’s what led to that area [the Walgreen’s on Friday] in a continuing investigation,” VanHoozer said. Jenkins was “a wanted individual that we knew about.”

VanHoozer took a few questions, and was asked about an initial GBI report saying it found a gun on the scene.

“That was not our weapon,” VanHoozer said, but he deferred other questions to “give the GBI a chance to get its ducks in a row.”

He said the Cobb Police Department was extending its condolences to Jenkins family.

“We don’t want to see incidents end like this one ended,” he said.

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Cobb jail inmate from East Cobb dies due to health reasons

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Cobb Sheriff's Office
Cobb jail inmate from East Cobb dies due to health reasons

The Cobb Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday that an inmate who has been hospitalized routinely with health issues since his arrest in December has died in custody.

Brian Winnie, 62, died Monday afternoon at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital after being taken there last Tuesday, according to the sheriff’s office, which didn’t specify a cause of death.

A release said that Winnie, who was charged with felony theft, cited medical records that “indicated he was facing a recurring, serious health challenge. While in custody, he was routinely transported to the hospital for treatment.”

A booking report showed that Winnie lived at an address off Post Oak Tritt Road.

According to an arrest warrant, Winnie was alleged to have stolen a Mercedes sedan on Nov. 19, 2023, belonging to another individual at that address.

A sheriff’s office booking report indicated Winnie was taken into custody at the Cobb Adult Detention Center on Dec. 19 and was being held on a $6,720 bond.

Court records indicate Winnie was indicted in February by a Cobb Superior Court jury on one count of felony theft by taking, but no other court dates had been scheduled at the time of his death.

“His family was aware of his condition and made medical decisions on his behalf,” the Cobb Sheriff’s Office said in the release.

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Police: 3 charged in death of woman last seen in East Cobb

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Police: 3 charged in death of woman last seen in East Cobb
Maury-Ange Faith Martinez

Cobb Police said this week that three people—including two men living on Powers Ferry Road—have been charged in the death of a woman last seen in the East Cobb area last fall.

Police said that Allen Kerr, 32, and Sean Deshazer, 26, have been charged with concealing the death of Maury-Ange Faith Martinez, 20, of Alpharetta. She was reported missing in Gwinnett County last summer and her skeletal remains were identified in January near Chattanooga, Tenn.

A third suspect, Jasmine Craig, 27, was arrested in Wichita, Kan., and is awaiting extradition, Cobb Police said in a release.

The release said that their arrest warrants were issued on June 27, following a request for assistance in investigating Martinez’ death.

Police said on May 31 that Martinez was last seen in the Powers Ferry Road area, but they haven’t offered more details.

According to an indictment in Cobb Superior Court, Kerr, Deshazer and Craig “did unlawfully conceal the death” of Martinez on or near Aug. 21, 2023, hindering the discovery of her body months later in another state.

According to Cobb Sheriff’s Office booking reports, Kerr and Deshazer both reside at the Rockledge Apartments on Powers Ferry Road, near Akers Mill Road.

They have been in custody in the Cobb Adult Detention Center since last November on unrelated drug and weapons charges, according to the booking reports, and they are being held without bond.

Police did not explain how they came to arrest those individuals, but said in the release this week that “our detectives are still working diligently on this case as part of an ongoing investigation.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the Cobb Police Crimes Against Persons unit at 770-499-3945 or Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta at 770-577-TIPS (8477).

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Cobb Police haven’t filed charges in toddler’s hot car death

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Cobb Police haven't filed charges in toddler's hot car death
“We really need some time to sort this out before we know what happened,” Cobb Police Chief Stuart VanHoozer said.

Calling it “a tragic incident,” Cobb Police said Wednesday morning have not filed charges in the death of a 2-year-old who was found inside a vehicle in a home near Jim Miller Park in Marietta.

Police said that officers and Cobb Fire and & EMS were called to a home on Wanda Circle late Tuesday afternoon and found the child unresponsive inside a vehicle.

Police said in a press release that the child was rushed to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital but was pronounced dead there.

While an investigation continues, police said that “there is no evidence to suggest that the child was left inside the vehicle” on purpose.

Cobb Police Chief Stuart VanHoozer said in a press briefing Wednesday morning that investigators are unsure why the boy was inside the vehicle.

“We really need some time to sort this out before we know what happened,” VanHoozer said.

“If I was in the position of the father, mother, sibling, friend, I would want a lot of grace and a lot of support.”

He said he didn’t know if criminal charges are warranted, but “we do know that support is warranted.”

VanHoozer asked for people “to be really, really careful in this heat.” He didn’t take questions.

Cobb and metro Atlanta are under heat advisories Wednesday and for the Independence Day Thursday, with temperatures in the low 90s and with high humidity.

Cobb Police Sgt. Eric Smith said anyone with information about the incident is requested to call the Cobb County Police Department Crimes Against Persons Unit at 770-499-3945.

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Executive director named for new Cobb Family Advocacy Center

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Submitted information:Cobb District Attorney logo

Cobb County District Attorney Flynn D. Broady Jr. is proud to announce that Kim McCoy, former director of the Victim Witness Unit, has been named as the executive director for the newly established Cobb Family Advocacy Center. This significant milestone comes after McCoy’s unwavering dedication and advocacy to bring a justice center to Cobb for the past 25 years.

The journey to establish a family justice center in Cobb County began in 1999 when McCoy, alongside Jason Saliba, now deputy chief assistant district attorney, toured San Diego’s center for victims. Inspired by what they saw, McCoy and Saliba were determined to bring a similar resource to the Cobb community.

Through persistent effort and overcoming numerous challenges, the vision has finally become a reality. “It took us years to get here, obviously, through struggles, through challenges, through a lot of different things,” said McCoy at the Cobb Family Advocacy Center grand opening on Dec. 15, 2023.

The FAC, located at 277 Fairground St. SE in Marietta, serves as a comprehensive hub for victims and survivors of abuse, providing essential help and resources under one roof. Navigators at the FAC will coordinate services for victims and collaborate with local victim service providers to offer trauma-informed, holistic, and comprehensive services in one central location, alleviating the need for victims to travel to multiple agencies to receive help.

The establishment of the FAC was made possible in part by a $400,000 grant from the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, marking it as the first of its kind to officially open in Georgia. District Attorney Flynn Broady highlighted the center’s anticipated positive outcomes, stating, “Family advocacy centers in communities lead to significant reductions in domestic violence homicides and childhood trauma, resulting in better outcomes for families overall.”

In addition to county and grant-funded staff, the center partners with several well-established nonprofits, including LiveSAFE Resources, the Center for Family Resources, SafePath Children’s Advocacy Center, and Legal Aid of Cobb County. These organizations, along with public safety and prosecutorial partners, will have representatives on-site to provide comprehensive support to those in need.

Reflecting on the long journey to this achievement, McCoy remarked, “The FAC represents not only a promise kept to the victims and survivors in our community but also ensures a future commitment to building stronger collaborations among our partners to provide comprehensive services to victims. I am honored to lead the FAC and to continue advocating for the safety and well-being of our community.”

For immediate dangerous situations, the public is urged to call 911. Any victim is encouraged to contact their local police department to file a report. Additional resources for child abuse victims are available through SafePath Children’s Advocacy Center at 770-801-3465. Victims of domestic violence and adult sexual assault can receive additional services through LiveSAFE Resources at 770-427-3390.

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Police: Woman found dead in Tenn. last seen in East Cobb area

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Cobb Police are asking for the public’s help in investigating the death of a young metro Atlanta woman who was last seen in the East Cobb area.Police: Woman found dead in Tenn. last seen in East Cobb area

Police said on Friday that they’re tracking leads in the case of Maury-Ange Faith Martinez, 20, of Alpharetta. She was reported missing in Gwinnett County last fall and her skeletal remains were identified in January in an area near Chattanooga, Tenn.

Cobb Police said in a release Friday that Martinez was last seen in unincorporated Cobb, “near Powers Ferry Road,” but didn’t elaborate further.

They’re asking for anyone who may have seen her or had any contact with her around the time of the disappearance to contact them at their Crimes Against Persons unit at 770-499-3945 or Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta at 770-577-TIPS (8477).

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GBI: New evidence found in case of slain East Cobb couple

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The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says it has collected some new evidence related to its investigation into the homicides of an East Cobb married couple in south Georgia in 2015.Elrey and June Runion, murdered East Cobb couple

The GBI said Monday that a citizen found a .22 caliber rifle while fishing in Horse Creek near McRae, Ga., in Telfair County, on April 14.

The same citizen two days later went to the same location, and using a magnetic device, found a bag and driver’s licenses and credit cards belonging to Bud and June Runion, as well as a cell phone thought to belong to them, according to the GBI.

The GBI said its agents and the Telfair County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at a home on two separate occasions after that last week, adding that investigators recovered unspecified further evidence that’s being sent to the state crime lab for further analysis.

The GBI didn’t identify who lived in the home and didn’t indicate in its release on Monday if the rifle could be the murder weapon.

A suspect arrested shortly after the murders, Ronnie Adrian Towns, is scheduled to go on trial for the killings in August.

The Runions, who lived off Holly Springs Road, were in their 60s when they ventured to Telfair County in January 2015 to buy a 1966 Ford Mustang. Bud Runion had posted an interest in making such a purchase on Craigslist.

The Runions were reported missing by their daughters the following day, and four days later their bodies were found on a rural road, not far from where their vehicle was spotted in a pond near McRae, 75 miles south of Macon.

Authorities said the Runions had been robbed and shot in the head, but a murder weapon had not been found. Towns, then 28, turned himself in and was charged with murder and armed robbery.

But his murder indictment was overturned in 2019 by the Georgia Supreme Court, upholding a lower court ruling of improper jury selection.

Towns was re-indicted in 2020.

The Runions were married for 38 years. According to their obituaries, in 1991 the Runions founded Forever Greatful Ministries, which helps families in need in the Marietta area. Bud Runion was retired from AT & T and June Runion was a preschool teacher at Johnson Ferry Christian Academy.

They were longtime members of Mt. Paran Church of God North on Allgood Road.

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No injuries reported in Canton Road funeral home fire

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Cobb Fire fighting blaze at Canton Road funeral home

A fire broke out at the Medford-Peden Funeral Home on Canton Road Tuesday, but there were no injuries, according to the Marietta Fire Department.

Deputy Fire Marshall Steve Gau said Marietta and Cobb fire crews were dispatched to 1408 Canton Road around 2:30 p.m. and found heavy fire and smoke conditions.

He said crews brought the fire under control in around 20 minutes, and there were no remains of any deceased in the funeral home.

Gau said a cause hasn’t been determined and that Marietta Fire is conducting the investigation.

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Ex-officer indicted for shooting death in NE Cobb car chase

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A Cobb grand jury has indicted a former Woodstock police officer after a suspect fleeing a traffic stop in Northeast Cobb last fall was shot to death.East Cobb man convicted

The April 18 indictment charges Grant Matthew Shaw, 23, of Canton, with a felony count of involuntary manslaughter for the Oct. 14 death of Emmanuel Millard, 20, of Marietta.

According to Cobb Police, Millard fled a traffic stop on Oct. 12 at Highway 92 and Hames Road, near the Cobb County line.

According to a preliminary Georgia Bureau of Investigation report, Woodstock police pursued Millard into Northeast Cobb for several miles, before stopping his vehicle near the intersection of Highway 92 (Alabama Road) and Old Mountain Park Road, near the Cobb-Roswell line.

As officers tried to remove Millard from the car, he was shot once, and officers rendered aid until EMS arrived on the scene, according to the GBI.

The GBI said Millard was taken to North Fulton Hospital, where he died two days later. Shaw was placed on administrative leave and resigned several days later as an investigation continued.

Cobb prosecutors sought indictments for felony murder and aggravated assault, but the grand jury concluded that Shaw did not intend to cause Millard’s death.

Shaw was booked into the Cobb County Adult Detention Center Monday and is being held without bond, according to Cobb Sheriff’s Office records.

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Garage fire at East Cobb home closes Indian Hills Parkway

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East Cobb garage fire closes portion of Indian Hills Parkway

Firefighters were called to a home in the 1000 block of Indian Hills Parkway Tuesday afternoon to battle a fire in the garage.

Cobb Fire and Emergency Services said Indian Hills Parkway was closed between Clubland Drive and Fairfield Drive while crews were on the scene.

A department social media posting said that Company 21, Engines 15, 20, 3, Squad 16 and Air 12 were called extinguish the fire.

East Cobb garage fire closes portion of Indian Hills Parkway

 

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Cobb Police: Man found dead in vehicle on Powers Ferry Road

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Cobb Police said Friday that a man was found shot to death in a vehicle on Powers Ferry Road.Cobb Police: Man found dead in vehicle on Powers Ferry Road

According to a release, the body of Curtis Coleman, 43, of Powder Springs, was discovered by police responding to a call in the 2200 block of Powers Ferry Road near the Chattahoochee River.

Police didn’t say when the shooting occurred, or provide other details.

They said that anyone with information is asked to call the Cobb Police Major Crimes Unit at 770-499-3945.

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Student arrested after Sprayberry HS stabbing incident

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Sprayberry High School, Cobb Education SPLOST

Sprayberry High School

UPDATED, MARCH 21:

Cobb Police identified the suspect as Aedan Smith, 17, who was booked into the Cobb County Adult Detention Center Wednesday night.

Sgt. Eric Smith, a Cobb P0lice spokesman, said the victim, Earl Nichols, 18, is in critical condition at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital.

Police said Nichols was found with several puncture wounds, likely from a knife, when Cobb Police were called to the scene by Cobb school district police.

Police said that based on witness interviews, they identified Smith as the suspect, and that the two boys had had a physical altercation.

Aedan Smith was charged with aggravated assault and possessing a weapon on a school campus.

According to Cobb Sheriff’s Office booking reports, he was being held on $10,000 bond, but the Cobb Magistrate Court Clerk’s office said Thursday morning that bond has been revoked.

ORIGINAL REPORT:

A student stabbed another student at Sprayberry High School Wednesday morning, prompting a code red alert.

The suspected assailant was later arrested, the Cobb school district said.

A message went out to the school community said that the assailant fled the scene and the victim was being treated for injuries, but didn’t provide more details.

“Earlier today, a student used a knife to injure another student. The victim has been treated for their injuries,” a Cobb County School District spokeswoman said in a statement.

“The campus is secure, and thanks to the quick response of police the suspect is custody. Learn how we keep Cobb schools safe by visiting  www.cobbshield.com and learn about Cobb’s shield of protection in this podcast.”

Wednesday’s attack at Sprayberry is the second at a Cobb high school in recent weeks. 

On Feb. 1, two former McEachern High School students were shot in the school’s parking lot during an altercation and four suspects—all of them teens—have been arrested.

The situation prompted two community town halls in that area by Cobb school board member Tre’ Hutchins. 

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Man gets life for killing friend at Delk Road apartments

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A Cobb judge this week sentenced a man to life without parole for shooting his friend to death at an apartment complex off Delk Road in 2020.

Man gets life for killing friend at Delk Road apartments
Kehari Yarber

The Cobb District Attorney’s Office said that Kehari Yarber, 26, was found guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm in commission of a felony by a Cobb Superior Court jury last week.

Judge Robert D. Leonard sentenced him to life without the possibility of parole plus an additional five years to be served consecutively.

The DA’s office said in a release that police were called to an area between the Stratford Ridge complex and the Atrium at Bentley complex on Oct. 31, 2020, and found a male body in the woods.

The release said that Blake Porter, 20, was pronounced dead on the scene, and that detectives found surveillance footage showing him walking in that area with another male on the evening of Oct. 30.

According to the release, there was a muzzle flash that appeared on the video, followed by a second muzzle flash some seconds later.

The DA’s office didn’t indicate a possible motive for the shooting, but said in the release that family members described Yarber as a close friend of Porter, with some calling him his “twin.”

The DA’s office said Yarber was identified as the other man from footage at a nearby Shell station and confirmed by images from friends and social media. The release said Yarber completed a transaction at the gas station before leaving.

According to the release, Yarber was arrested in Clayton County on Dec. 15, 2020.

“I am grateful for the dedication of law enforcement and the thorough work of our prosecutors in securing justice for Blake Porter and his loved ones. Our office will continue to pursue justice for victims and hold those who commit such senseless acts of violence accountable,” Cobb DA Flynn D. Broady Jr. said in the release.

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Homicide suspect in Windy Hill Road stabbing surrenders

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Cobb Police said a man who is suspected of stabbing another man to death on Monday has turned himself in.Northeast Cobb car crash, Cops on Donut Shops

Officer Aaron Wilson said in a release that Randy Graham, 50, of Smyrna, is charged with attacking Herman Robinson, 40, of Marietta, with a knife in the 2600 block of Windy Hill Road at 3:25 p.m. Monday.

Police said Graham fled the scene, and when police arrived, they found Robinson with multiple stab wounds. He was taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital but died there, Wilson said.

Police said Graham contacted 911 several hours later and turned himself in. According to the Cobb Sheriff’s Office, he was booked in the Cobb Adult Detention Center early Tuesday morning.

Police said Robinson’s next of kin have been notified.

Graham is charged with murder, possession of a knife while committing a crime, and aggravated assault and is being held without bond.

Police said the investigation continues, and anyone with information contact Cobb Police at 770-499-3945.

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East Cobb investment adviser sentenced for Ponzi scheme

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Nearly a year after pleading guilty to wire fraud in a Ponzi scheme that defrauded several hundred of his clients, an East Cobb investment adviser was sentenced to federal prison this week. East Cobb investment adviser pleads guilty

John Woods, who’s been active in Walton High School sports and civic affairs in East Cobb, will serve seven-and-a-half years, plus three years on supervised probation, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for North Georgia.

That’s where federal prosecutors presented evidence that Woods victimized more than 400 investors, at a cost of more than $49 million, over 13 years.

In 2021, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission shut down the Ponzi scheme, run out of a fund called Horizon Private Equity, promising rates of return of six to seven percent.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a release Thursday that Horizon would invest the funds in government bonds, stocks, or small real estate projects, and that clients were assured the investments were safe “because Horizon maintained a diverse portfolio.”

But prosecutors said in court last year that those funds were used instead to repay other investors and that “Horizon was able to pay guaranteed returns to investors only by raising and using new investor money.”

The defrauded clients were sent monthly statements that did not disclose that their investments didn’t provide a return to cover the cost of interest.

“Although Woods did not use the money to live a lavish lifestyle, he diverted investor funds to pet projects not approved by the investors, such as purchasing an interest in a baseball team in his home town,” the release said.

Woods, a native of Chattanooga, was a minority owner of the Chattanooga Lookouts minor league baseball team.

Woods, 58, was formerly on the executive board of the Walton Touchdown Club and was a member of the original East Cobb Cityhood committee in 2019.

When the Ponzi scheme was shut down, the Securities and Exchange Commission estimated that Horizon investors were owed $110 million in principal payments.

The sentence handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah E. Geraghty also requires Woods to pay restitution. A restitution hearing is scheduled for April 15.

“Woods abused the trust of his victims, including retirees, seniors, and military veterans, who lost their life savings and retirement accounts due to his greed,” U.S. Attorney Ryan Buchanan said in the release.

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Teen charged in fatal wreck that killed Pope HS student

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The Cherokee Sheriff’s Office has charged an 18-year-old with vehicular homicide and other felony charges stemming from a single-vehicle crash in January that killed two other teens and injured three others, including the suspect.

Pope HS student killed in Woodstock crash
Gabe Escandon, a senior soccer player at Pope, was killed on the scene of the Jan. 8 crash in Woodstock.

The victims included a senior at Pope High School, while a student at Lassiter High School was seriously injured.

Booking reports show that Oliver Luis Roman, 18, of Powder Springs, was being held without bond after being charged Wednesday morning. He is charged with two counts of first-degree vehicular homicide, two counts of serious injury by vehicle and reckless driving.

Roman allegedly was driving a Mazda 6 sedan that slammed into a tree in a median along Towne Lake Parkway in Woodstock on Jan. 9. Gabriel Escandon, 17, a member of Pope’s varsity boys soccer team, was pronounced dead on the scene, while Esteban Cortez-Rendon of Woodstock, who turned 18 that day, died at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, Cherokee authorities previously said.

Chris Peixoto, a soccer player at Lassiter High School, was hospitalized with serious injuries, as were the other two occupants of the car, including Roman.

Friends and family responded to an online fundraiser that netted more than $81,000 for his recovery. A message on Jan. 28—Peixoto’s 18th birthday—said asked for continuing donations of $18 and said that “Chris is continuing to improve day by day, but he still is going to need lots of support and prayers from the entire community.”

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Ribbon-cutting set for ‘JoAnn K. Birrell Police K9 Annex’

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Ribbon-cutting set for 'JoAnn K. Birrell Police K9 Annex'

A couple weeks after a Cobb Police K-9 annex was named for Cobb Commissioner JoAnn Birrell, the new facility will officially open next week.

A ribbon-cutting for the Joann K. Birrell Police K9 annex will be Tuesday at 10 a.m. at 1060 Al Bishop Drive in Marietta.

That’s where the team of nine K-9 teams operates in assisting in criminal investigations, including narcotics, explosives, evidence recovery and search and rescue.

Birrell, a noted dog-lover, was taken by surprise during a recognition at the board’s Jan. 9 meeting, when her colleagues informed her they voted to name the new facility after her.

She was also joined by her husband, David Birrell, and some of the K-9 dogs, who are Belgian Malinois, German Shepherds and a Dutch Shepherd.

As a leader of the Northeast Cobb Business Association, she led fundraising efforts to help Cobb Police purchase service dogs before she was in public office.

As a commissioner, she has earmarked some of her district contingency funding to replace a retiring dog and fund the department’s kennel system.

Birrell also helped create Superior Pets for Patriotic Vets, a partnership with Superior Plumbing and Cobb Animal Services that waives fees for military veterans who adopt shelter dogs and cats.

The Cobb Police K-9 program accepts donations from the public; more information and online payment are available by clicking here.

Ribbon-cutting set for 'JoAnn K. Birrell Police K9 Annex'

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Cobb Police shoot man with a gun in East Cobb neighborhood

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Cobb Police said Wednesday that an officer shot a man with a gun after confronting him on Columns Drive in East Cobb Tuesday evening. Northeast Cobb car crash, Cops on Donut Shops

Officer Joseph Wilson said in a release that police received numerous 911 calls around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday saying that a man was walking down Columns Drive and firing his gun.

When officers arrived, police confronted him near the front door of a Columns Drive home and ordered him several times to drop the weapon, Wilson said.

When the suspect refused, according to Wilson, an officer fired at and struck the suspect, who was taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has taken over the case and in a release Wednesday afternoon, said the suspect was identified as Thomas Yarborough, 83, of Marietta.

The GBI said Yarborough is in critical condition and no officers were injured.

The GBI will turn over the findings of its investigation to the Cobb District Attorney’s Office.

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Teen arrested after carjacking, lockdown at KSU campus

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UPDATED, Jan. 25, 12:10 P.M.:

Cobb Police said Wednesday that one suspect was taken into custody and two others remain at-large following a carjacking attempt that occurred near the KSU campus Tuesday.

Officer Aaron Wilson said that three males carjacked a 2023 Cadillac on Frey Road in Kennesaw and headed toward the KSU campus around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The vehicle was spotted by the Cobb Police Real-Time Crime Center near campus, and KSU authorities issued a lockdown around 6:20 p.m. following reports of an armed intruder, Wilson said in a release.

Marquise Adams, 17, of Lithonia, was arrested following a brief foot chase with the keys to the Cadillac in his possession, police said.

Police said that no shots were fired during the incident and that they searched the area for several hours for the other suspects. The investigation is continuing and anyone with information is asked to contact the Cobb Police Major Crimes Unit at 770-499-4111.

UPDATED, 8:40 PM:

An all-clear message has been issued and all campus operations have resumed.

ORIGINAL REPORT:

Kennesaw State University issued an emergency alert shortly after 6 p.m. Wednesday, saying that an armed suspect has been reported near the main campus in Kennesaw. KSU logo

The university’s Office of Emergency Management is asking those on campus to remain sheltered in place until further notice.

Shortly after 7 p.m., the message was updated to say that all persons should remain sheltered in place, and that police are searching the area.

This story will be updated.

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